A Boomer in the Pew

How a Monsoon Storm rocked my World!

Monsoonal lightening bolt from fellow Flickr member, azglenn.

I was laying in bed last night, I was actually asleep, when all of a sudden, around 11:00,  a sudden blast of a monsoon's fury nearly put me on the ceiling, like the cats in the cartoons of old!

Get the picture!

This thing was extreme! I wasn't prepared, and there was nothing I could do about it.

Generally speaking, if the news mentions that we should expect a monsoon, we will go outside and baton the hatches, if you will.  We bring in all the exterior pillows, take the shades off of the external lamps, and generally remove anything that might be subject to the wind.

Well, just prior to bedtime, I was watching Fox New's coverage, on John McCain's choice of Gov. Palin, and didn't catch the weather report.

Realizing that I wasn't prepared, I jumped out of bed and went to the window to see what was happening.  I have yet to see such wind, here in Arizona.  Monsoons are different from the Michigan thunderstorms that I am accustom to, in that they feature profuse lightening and sustained winds like you would expect from a Hurricane.

As I inspected my patio, from the bedroom window, I realized that is was entirely unsafe to go outside to gather our stuff.  The lightening was blasting all around, and the winds were intense.  I had no desire to go outside and find myself with a cactus stuck to the side of my head!

The other exciting feature of a monsoon is intense, and I mean intense rain.  Occasionally, in Michigan, we would get a thunderstorm that was so intense you would have to pull over your car because you can no longer see.  Well....this is like that....but for prolonged periods of time.

For 30 minutes we had intense wind, intense thunder, intense lightening, and intense rain! 

There was no way I was going to go outside.  Our stuff would just have to ride it out.

After the storm subsided, I peered out and saw that the sky had drained all of its energy, and decided that my patio would have to wait until morning so I could clearly see.

In the morning, I found the monsoon's calling card:  broken pots, soaked pillows strewn all over the backyard, our favorite cactus completely uprooted from its large pot and cast about, twigs and debris everywhere, ruts carved in the sandy soil from rushing waters, debris floating in the pool, and the whole landscape looking like it had just received a colossal can of "whoop butt"!  :)

I didn't like this helpless feeling.  I didn't like not being prepared even more.

As I was cleaning up the debris this morning, my mind wondered to the Book of Revelation.  God tells us of a time when, in one fell swoop, 1/3 of the earth's population will be destroyed.

Talk about helpless!

Can I ask you a question?  Are you prepared for God's coming storm?

I am certain that this inconsequential monsoon will pale in comparison.

Here is how you can prepare for the coming storm, and secure your place, as a child of God, in Heaven for all of eternity.   

Jonathan Edwards - Religious Affections (Part III - True Affection #1)

This is the 7th post in my study of Jonathan Edwards famous text Religious Affections.  I have also created a landing page to hold all of the posts in this study for you here.

Our journey through Jonathan Edwards' "Religious Affections" has, so far, been quite a journey indeed.

Jonathan Edwards was supremely concerned with some of the theatrics that were positioning themselves, as true faith,  during the Great Awakening.

Therefore, he sets out to determine just what constitutes true religion and how we might identify it.

So far, Edwards has instructed us that true religion lies in the affections.  He then defined affections for us, and laid before us ten justifications for his reasoning.

Furthermore, Edwards turned his attention to twelve things that "may or may not" be found to be religious affections.

And now, we stand at the portal of this man's brilliance, as he takes us on a pilgrimage to find and define,  twelve (12) remarkable divinations of spiritual, divine, and supernatural affections.

Please read on...

Wanna Save the Planet? - Buy a used Mercedes!

Keep reading...there really is a financial lesson here!

I have noticed that the herd affect is at work again.  Not too long ago, it was this:   buy a house you can't afford, in a resort area, re-sell it in just a few months,  and voile',  retire on a Caribbean island somewhere fabulously rich and maybe even famous!

Press play: 

That's right sports fans!  Do not pass go, and do NOT collect $200!

Today a similar, though much smaller event,  is happening in the automobile market.

My neighbor, before it was quite so fashionable and "green",  bought a Toyota Prius Hybrid.  He mentioned to me the other day,  that his salesman called him up, and offered him more than sticker price, for his used, one year old Prius! 

Are you getting my drift?  Now the herd is driving up the price of "green" cars to ridiculous levels.

Look, are you willing to take advice from someone who has every right in the world to give financial advice?  Why you say?  Go read my "about the Boomer" section.

Ok!  Here's my advice:

America, it is absolutely ridiculous how much you spend each month to drive automobiles!

I have personally peeked inside the finances of over 7,000 family's financial statements.  It is not uncommon to find a family with two cars, and two car payments nearing $800/month! 

Holy money down the drain, Batman!

Please, for the sake of all that is sane....read on....

The Boomer in Flickr's Explore (Top 500)

   

1. The Court of the Patriarchs, 2. Who Flowers :), 3. Springtime on the Spur Cross Trail, 4. Poppies on the Spur Cross Trail, 5. Poppies on the Go John Trail, 6. Grandeur, 7. Canyon de Chelly - Spider's Rock, 8. Yosemite Valley, 9. Yosemite Pastoral, 10. Grand Canyon, 11. Winter in the Sonoran Desert, 12. Christmas Bulb in Black & White, 13. Dallas Symphony Orchestra, 14. The Angel of Cannon Beach, 15. Monsoon Skies over Terravita, 16. Summer Rain in Terravita - (Pastel), 17. Monument Valley, 18. Monument Valley, 19. Dust Storm from Black Mountain, 20. Dust Storm Sunset, 21. Waxing Crescent Moon over Terravita, 22. Humboldt Mountain Magic, 23. Oh my aching nose, 24. Let's bow in prayer, 25. Arizona Bird, 26. Sonoran Desert Bee, 27. Blue Desert Wildflower, 28. Grand Canyon - Approaching Sunset, 29. Beauty in Remembrance - Vietnam Memorial - "The Wall", 30. Boats in Cinque Terra, Italy, 31. Restaurant on Stilts

My Personal American Gladiator (Fitness Coach) - Changing my Belief System

Cathy Sassin (Panther),  from the original American Gladiators

Please allow me to introduce you to my personal fitness coach, Cathy Sassin.

Cathy is a world renown adventure racer, and as you can see, was one of the original American Gladiators.  In the fitness world she is also a published author and expert in the area of nutrition.

I hired Cathy because I witnessed a friend transform from a paunchy middle aged women, to Mrs. Oregon or some such thing.  The transformation was incredible.

Cathy's job, in her transformation, was primarily the nutrition piece.

If you look into my family tree, you will find nearly 100% of them to be 100 pounds overweight and nearly all diabetic.

At 50 years of age, I was on the fast track to the same destination.  However, that is a destination I have no desire to even visit, let alone live in.

I am telling you all this because my greatest challenge, in this whole process, is changing my belief system.  Just the other day, in my conference call with Cathy, she was challenging my obstinate belief in using the scale as a measurement of my success. 

You see, I have been given to a certain amount of whining, of late, because the scale isn't producing the results I expect.  Certainly some of that is due to the rare scoops of Gelato that mysteriously find their way into my enraptured hands.  But mostly, my agitation is the result of 51 years of bad dietary habits,  and a completely wrong conception on the wondrous workings of this body, in which I live.

Please continue on...

Google Reader 101 - Wonderful 1 Minute Video

I get a lot of questions from friends wondering how I keep track of all the sites I monitor.  I use Google Reader.  Here is a nice, quick video to explain how you can use it too.

The Hall of Contemporary Reformers

The folks over at Monergism.com have formed a hall of fame of sorts, called the Hall of Contemporary Reformers.

This Reformed Hall of Fame contains the names of John Piper, R.C. Sproul, James White, Tim Keller, Sinclair Ferguson, John MacArthur, Al Mohler, C.J. Mahaney, Michael Horton, D.A. Carson, Mark Dever, John Frame, James M. Boice, J. Ligon Duncan III, Iain H. Murray, J.I. Packer, and most recently Arturo Azurdia III.

I can think of a name or two that would be great candidates for this prestigious list, but what a list it is.

A number of these gentlemen are in my iPod and I deeply appreciate their desire to point the faithful to Christ rather then the building up of their own earthly kingdoms.

If you are looking for a place to find faithful instruction, this would be a tremendous place to start.

My New ESV Study Bible

I was in Dr. Wayne Grudem's "Systematic Theology" Sunday School Class,  back a few months ago, when he got up in front of the group, with a pile of what appeared to be perhaps papers to be graded from his students at Phoenix Seminary.

He bent over and moved the stack, with a little theatrics, so that everyone in the large class could see this massive pile of papers.  I would guess that the pile was about 3 feet high.

He looked at us with a beam in his eye, and that toothy smile that is Wayne Grudem,  and proclaimed, "It's finished!"

With that the audience arose to thunderous applause as they understood that 2 1/2 years of Wayne's dedication to the new ESV Study Bible, as the General Editor,  was now done and ready for printing.

His face was beaming and it was as if he had just crossed the finish line of the most grueling of marathons.

This picture showcases the burgundy bonded leather edition that I have on order which should arrive in October.

As I have been witness to a few of Dr. Grudem's accountings of the rich supplements that will accompany this new Bible, I am more than excited to get it in my hands and begin to learn from its many scholarly narratives.

In the meantime, I am enjoying the developmental updates, from Crossway Publishing, on their ESV Study Bible Blog.

As Children of God - We Belong to a New, Heavenly Family

This is the 8th post in my study of Dr. Sinclair Ferguson's text "Children of the Living God".

Buy this book from Amazon.

So far, in this study, we have been looking at a singular relationship with God, and his gracious adoption of us as his children, which is also complete with an incredible inheritance.

However, this adoption is not just mine.  It is available to anyone who will place their trust in Jesus Christ.

Therefore, over the millennium, I have accumulated billions and billions of brothers and sisters in Christ.

A brother in Christ (which includes sisters) is a very special relationship.  Our fleshly brothers are so because they come from the same womb.  In fact, Dr. Ferguson tells us, the Greek work for brother is "adelphos", which literally means "from womb" and conveys the idea of coming from the same womb. 

As Christians, he tells us, our common womb is the empty tomb of Jesus Christ! 

This common family tie serves to explain the wonderful fact that wherever you might go, in the world, you can always find welcome with your Christian brothers and sisters.  Regardless of country or language.

Just as there are rules of conduct in our earthly families, there are also rules of conduct in our heavenly family is well. 

To this topic, Dr. Sinclair Ferguson turns his attention, in the fifth chapter of his text.  Please join me...

 

Puritan's Prayer - Longing After God

Having just finished my post on holiness, I thought this meditation from The Valley of Vision was in order:

My Dear Lord,

I can but tell thee that thou knowest
I long for nothing but thyself,
nothing but holiness,
nothing but union with thy will.

Thou hast given me these desires,
and thou alone canst give me the thing desired.

My soul longs for communion with thee,
for mortification of indwelling corruption,
especially spiritual pride.

How precious it is
to have a tender sense and clear apprehension
of the mystery of godliness,
of true holiness!

What a blessedness to be like thee
as much as it is possible for a creature to be like its creator!

Lord, give me more of thy likeness;
Enlarge my soul to contain fullness of holiness;
Engage me to live more for thee.

Help me to be less pleased with my spiritual experiences,
and when I feel at ease after sweet communings,
teach me it is far too little I know and do.

Blessed Lord,

let me climb up near to thee,
and love, and long, and plead, and wrestle with thee,
and pant for deliverance from the body of sin,
for my heart is wandering and lifeless,
and my soul morns to think
it should ever lose sight of its beloved.

Wrap my life in divine love,
and keep me ever desiring thee,
always humble and resigned to thy will,
more fixed on thyself,
that I may be more fitted for doing and suffering.